History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 4Gibbon, Edward
History
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 4
Gibbon, Edward
Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.
The view of these
disorders, which had been fomented by his laws and example, 40
imbittered the declining age of the Persian monarch; and his
fears were increased by the consciousness of his design to
reverse the natural and customary order of succession, in favor
of his third and most favored son, so famous under the names of
Chosroes and Nushirvan. To render the youth more illustrious in
the eyes of the nations, Kobad was desirous that he should be
adopted by the emperor Justin: 4011 the hope of peace inclined
the Byzantine court to accept this singular proposal; and
Chosroes might have acquired a specious claim to the inheritance
of his Roman parent. But the future mischief was diverted by the
advice of the quaestor Proclus: a difficulty was started, whether
the adoption should be performed as a civil or military rite; 41
the treaty was abruptly dissolved; and the sense of this
indignity sunk deep into the mind of Chosroes, who had already
advanced to the Tigris on his road to Constantinople. His father
did not long survive the disappointment of his wishes: the
testament of their deceased sovereign was read in the assembly of
the nobles; and a powerful faction, prepared for the event, and
regardless of the priority of age, exalted Chosroes to the throne
of Persia. He filled that throne during a prosperous period of
forty-eight years; 42 and the Justice of Nushirvan is celebrated
as the theme of immortal praise by the nations of the East.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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